Women Building Futures: Alumni Profile: Tania Sasik

An interview with Tania Sasik – Alumni of Building & Construction, Building Surveying & Master of Business at RMIT .

Where are you working now?

“business owner and employed – State Government Technical Officer.”

What is your role and what activities does your role entail on a daily basis?

“I now give technical advice to industry stakeholders, but prior to this I had worked in estimating, contract administration, site management and also I own my own construction business. I am a registered female builder with only 0.2% of practitioners registered in Victoria being female in Victoria.”

What was your favourite part of your degree?

“The collaboration for group assignments, this definitely gives you an insight into working with teams in real life.”

What do you like best about your role?

“I like best that I get to make decisions and act on them but I can tell you now that It’s also the decisions that I have spent many sleepless nights over also. The risk is huge but the intrinsic rewards are greater!”

What attracted you to your role?

“Opportunity to make change”

What is most important to you when looking for a job?

“Opportunity to do something better, faster, more efficient but I am an entrepreneur at heart.”

Tell us about your career journey so far.

“I began working for a major builder and at the time I used to sit under a big sign that said
“The answer is NO”.
This was a reminder to all employees about the company’s strict ‘no variation to contract rule’.
Somewhat depressing hey..? Sitting under such a sign.
Well I saw it as a business opportunity!
This was a motivator to start my own business and offer customers what they couldn’t get at a larger builders company.
Today, I work for the Victorian Building Authority as I wish to motivate change in my industry and I run my own construction business outside of that.
I furthered my studies in building surveying and now am completing the Master of business administration to be able to step up even more and property develop at a larger scale. ”

Tell us about the challenges and triumphs you have faced as a female in a male-dominated industry

“I face many challenges in my daily decision making; however I don’t feel that any of these decisions are difference because I am a woman. In fact I think daily challenges may have more to do with personality traits and the extent of due diligence you wish to go to.
My triumphs ..this was an interesting question as I acknowledge that I did not take the time to celebrate any of my wins. I suppose in my first year of business I could substitute my full time income which meant that people trusted me, more so than my male counter parts. I didn’t see it at the time but people were open to having a female project manage buildings. ”

If you could say one thing to young females looking to enter the industry – what would it be?

“It wouldn’t differ to what I would expect females entering the medical industry. Keeping work strictly professional would benefit the individual in a way that would deter her from her work.”